A09376:823
A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon…A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon…
A cloud of faithful witnesses, leading to the heavenly Canaan, or, A commentary upon the 11 chapter to the Hebrews preached in Cambridge by that godly, and judicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executors, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.A cloud of faithfull witnesses, leading to the heauenly Canaan, or, A commentarie vpon the 11 chapter to the Hebrewes preached in Cambridge by that godly, and iudicious divine, M. William Perkins ; long expected and desired, and therefore published at the request of his executours, by Will. Crashawe and Tho. Pierson, preachers of Gods Word, who heard him preach it, and wrote it from his mouth.
London: printed by Humphrey Lownes for Leo. Greene, 1607London: printed by Humfrey Lownes for Leo. Greene, 1607
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly, in that Abraham lived thus, as ready ever to depart into any other country, when God would call him: It showeth, that true faith doth never limit Gods hand, either in the greatness, or length of trials, but submitteth it self wholly to his will; being resolved & content to suffer all trials, how great soever, and how many soever God pleaseth to lay upon a man. Reason would have said, I have left one country at Gods word: if I must leave another, then I shall never know an end, nor have any thing certain to trust to. But faith saith, As I have left one country at Gods calling, so upon his word I will leave twenty more: For God hath as good reason to bid me the second time, as the first; and his love cannot fail me: he may still try me, but can never leave me. Thus spake Abraham's faith. And not he alone: For Job, though he cry out of the violence of his temptation, The arrows of the Almighty are in me, and the venom thereof doth drink up my spirits, & the terrors of God do fight against me (Chap. 6.4.) Yet when faith comes to play his part, he then protesteth, that though God kill him, yet he will trust in him, & he shall be his salvation. (Chap. 13.15.) See, Abraham's faith will lead him from country to country; and Jobs will carry him through life and death. And noble David is not behind for his part▪ for he will lose his kingdom, if God will have it so: 2. Sam. 15.26. If (saith David) God say, I have no delight in thee, lo here I am, let him do to me (not what I in my reason could wish, but) what seemeth good in his eyes. Behold now, in these holy men the practice and obedience of true faith. It prescribes not God the measure, […] ⟨p. 221⟩there; and thus doing, we have our conversation in heaven, though we live on the earth. And this we should do the rather, because generally the world is full of such men; who (as the same place saith) do mind nothing but earthly things. Now it is a hard thing for a man to be unlike the world, and to resist multitudes, and general examples: but we must still remember we are Abraham's children, and children must labour to be like their father, and not the common multitude: and it must more move a good child, what his father alone doth, than what is done by many other.
Thirdly, in that Abraham liued thus, as ready euer to depart into any other countrey, when God would call him: It sheweth, that true faith dooth neuer limit Gods hand, either in the greatnesse, or length of trialls, but submitteth it selfe wholly to his will; being resolued & contēt to suffer all trials, how great soeuer, and how many soeuer God pleaseth to lay vpon a man. Reason would haue said, I haue left one countrey at Gods word: if I must leaue another, then I shall neuer knowe an ende, nor haue any thing certaine to trust to. But faith saith, As I haue left one countrey at Gods calling, so vpon his worde I will leaue twentie more: For God hath as good reason to bid me the second time, as the first; and his loue cannot faile me: he may stil trie me, but can neuer leaue me. Thus spake Abrahams faith. And not he alone: For Iob, though hee crie out of the violence of his temptation, The arrowes of the Almighty are in mee, and the venime thereof doth drinke vp my spirits, & the terrors of God doe fight against me (Chap. 6.4.) Yet when faith comes to play his part, he then protesteth, that though God kill him, yet he will trust in him, & he shall be his saluation. (Chap. 13.15.) See, Abrahams faith will lead him from countrey to countrey; and Iobs will carrie him through life and death. And noble Dauid is not behinde for his part for hee will lose his kingdome, if God will haue it so: